INTRODUCTION

Cooped Up

by Pam Sluter

This design evolved from a friend’s remark that I should knit a chicken sweater. At first I thought she meant a sweater for my chickens (they’re not that stylish) but no, she meant a sweater with chickens on it for a human. I wasn’t super excited about the idea but it sat in the back of my brain until I found myself sketching sweaters with chickens on them and weighing yarn choices until lo and behold, on one of the hottest summer days, I decided it was time to knit a chicken-themed sweater out of lopi (which has plenty of great colors to choose from). I’ll be warm and cozy this winter!

This sweater is worked in the round from the bottom up. It is designed to be a fitted pullover. I recently discovered twisted ribbing and love how it looks (and it’s not difficult!). Sleeves are worked separately, then all the pieces are joined to work the yoke. The yoke patterning is worked using stranded colorwork.

model: Izzy Sluter

photos: Pam Sluter

SIZE

Women's XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
shown in size S with 1 inch/2.5 cm of positive ease

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 31[35, 39, 43, 47, 51, 55] inches / 78.5[89, 99, 109, 119.5, 129.5, 139.5]cm
Length at center back: 26.75[28.25, 28.75, 29.75, 30.25, 31.25, 31.75] inches / 68[72, 73, 75.5, 77, 79.5, 80.5] cm

MATERIALS

Yarn

Istex Lettlopi [100% wool; 109 yd/100 m per 1.75 oz/50 g skein];
[MC] 005 black heather; 6[7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12] skeins
[CC1] 9426 golden heather; 1 skein
[CC2] 0054 ash heather; 1[1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2] skein(s)

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 US 6/4mm circular needle, 24 inches/60 cm long
1 set US 6/4mm needles for working small circumference in the round
1 US 6/4mm circular needle, 16 inches/40 cm long
1 set US 7/4.5mm needles for working small circumference in the round
1 US 7/4.5 mm circular needle, 32 inches/80 cm long
1 US 7/4.5mm circular needle, 24 inches/60 cm long

Notions
yarn needle
waste yarn or 4 stitch holders
4 locking stitch markers (1 in a different color)

GAUGE

16 sts/20 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch and chart using larger needles

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

This sweater is worked in the round from the bottom up. It is recommended that you swatch both the stockinette and colorwork sections as you may need to go up a needle size for the stranded portion of the sweater.

The colorwork section will produce long floats; catch them on the WS while knitting.

Twisted rib (multiple of 2 sts)
Rnd 1: (K1tbl, p1) around.
Rep this rnd for patt.

CHARTS

DIRECTIONS

Body
Using US 6/4mm 24-inch circ and MC, cast on 124[140, 156, 172, 188, 204, 220] sts. Place unique marker and join to work in the rnd, being careful not to twist.

Work in Twisted Rib for 1.5 inches/4 cm.

Change to larger 24-inch circ.

Next rnd: K 62[70, 78, 86, 94, 102, 110] sts, pm, knit to end.

Work in St st until piece measures 16.5[17.5, 17.5, 18, 18, 18.5, 18.5] inches / 42[44.5, 44.5, 45.5, 45.5, 47, 47] cm from CO edge, or desired length to underarm.

Dividing rnd: Knit to m, sl m, k 5[5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8] sts. Place last 10[11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17] sts worked ( 5[6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 9] sts before m and 5[5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8] sts after m) onto holder. Knit to end of rnd, k 5[5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8] sts. Place last 10[11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17] sts worked ( 5[6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 9] sts before m and 5[5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8] sts after m) onto holder. 52[59, 66, 72, 79, 86, 93] sts remain each for Front and Back.

Do not break yarn. Set aside.

Sleeves (make 2)
Using US 6/4mm needles for working small circumference in the round and MC, cast on 26[28, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40] sts. Pm and join to work in the rnd, being careful not to twist.

Work in Twisted Rib for 1.5 inches/4 cm.

Change to larger needles for working small circumference in the round.

Knit 1 rnd.

Inc rnd: K1, M1, knit to 1 st before m, M1, k1. 2 sts inc'd.
Knit 4 rnds.
Rep last 5 rnds 7[8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15] times more. 42[46, 52, 56, 62, 66, 72] sts.

Work even in St st until sleeve measures 18 inches /45.5cm from CO edge, or desired length to underarm.

Next rnd: Knit to last 5[6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 9] sts. Slip next 10[11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17] sts ( 5[6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 9] sts before m and 5[5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8] sts after m) onto holder for underarm. Place 32[35, 40, 42, 47, 50, 55] remaining sleeve sts on holder or waste yarn. Break yarn and set aside.

Yoke
Change to larger 32-inch circ.

With MC still joined to Body and RS facing, k 52[59, 66, 72, 79, 86, 93] across sts of Front, k 32[35, 40, 42, 47, 50, 55] across held sts of first sleeve, k 52[59, 66, 72, 79, 86, 93] across sts of Back, k 32[35, 40, 42, 47, 50, 55] across held sts of second sleeve. Join to work in the rnd and place unique marker for beg of rnd. 168[188, 212, 228, 252, 272, 296] sts.

Work even in St st for 1[1, 1.25, 1.25, 1.5, 2.25, 2.25] inches/ 2.5[2.5, 3, 3, 4, 5.5, 5.5] cm. Break MC.

Join CC1.

Sizes S, M, 2X & 3X Only
Dec rnd: *K -[92, 104, -, -, 134, 146] , k2tog; rep from * once more.

All Sizes
168[186, 210, 228, 252, 270, 294] sts.
Knit 2[1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1] rnd(s).
Work Rnds 1-4 of Chart A.
Break CC2.

Sizes S, M, 2X & 3X Only
Dec rnd: With CC1, *k -[91, 103, -, -, 133, 145] , k2tog; rep from * once more. -[184, 208, -, -, 268, 292] sts.

Sizes XS, L & 1X Only
Knit 1 rnd with CC1.

All Sizes
168[184 208, 228, 252, 268, 292, ] sts.

Dec rnd: With CC1, *k2, k2tog; rep from * to end. 126[138, 156, 171, 189, 201, 219] sts.

Break CC1.

Join CC2.

Inc rnd: *K 63[23, 39, 34, 63, 28, 43] , M1; rep from * 1[5, 3, 4, 2, 6, 4] times more, k 0[0, 0, 1, 0, 5, 4] . 128[144, 160, 176, 192, 208, 224] sts.

Knit 0[0, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3] rnds.

Work Rnds 1-18 of Chart B. Break MC.

Knit 0[0, 1, 1, 2, 1, 3] rnds in CC2.

Size 2X Only
Knit 1 rnd in CC2, dec 1 st at end of rnd. 207 sts.

All Sizes
Join CC1.

Dec rnd: With CC1, *K 2[2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1] , k2tog; rep from * to last 0[0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 2] sts, k 0[0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 2] . 96[108, 120, 132, 128, 138, 150] sts.

Work Rnds 1-4 of Chart C.

With CC1, knit 1 rnd.

Break CC1 & CC2.

Join MC and work even in St st until yoke measures 8[8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11] inches / 20.5[21.5, 23, 24, 25.5, 26.5, 28] cm from underarm.

Shape yoke with short rows:
Lay sweater flat. Locate center front stitch. With front facing, place a locking marker 14 sts to the left of this stitch (right front marker) and a second marker 14 sts to the right of this stitch (left front marker).

Short row 1 [RS]: K to left front marker, w&t.
Short row 2 [WS]: P to right front marker, w&t.
Short row 3 [RS]: Knit to 3 sts before last w&t, w&t.
Short row 4 [WS]: Purl to 3 sts before last w&t, w&t.
Note: If a higher rise for the back neck is desired, you may wish to repeat Short rows 3-4 until the required number of short rows have been added.

Next rnd: Knit to beg of rnd.
Knit 1 more rnd, working wraps with wrapped sts and increasing 0[0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0] st at end of rnd. 96[108, 120, 132, 129, 138, 150] sts.

Dec rnd: *K1, k2tog; rep from * to end. 64[72, 80, 88, 85, 92, 100] sts.

Change to US 6/4mm 16-inch circ.

Work in Twisted Rib for 1 inch/2.5 cm.

Bind off loosely in patt.

FINISHING

Weave in ends. Graft underarms. Wet block sweater to final measurements.

A: Bust circumference: 31[35, 39, 43, 47, 51, 55] inches / 78.5[89, 99, 109, 119.5, 129.5, 139.5] cm
B: Neck circumference (not including ribbed neckband): 16[18, 20, 22, 21.25, 23, 25] inches / 40.5[45.5, 51, 56, 54, 58.5, 63.5] cm
C: Cuff circumference, stretched: 6.5[7, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10] inches / 16.5[18, 20.5, 21.5, 23, 24, 25.5] cm
D: Upper arm circumference: 10.5[11.5, 13, 14, 15.5, 16.5, 18] inches / 26.5[29, 33, 35.5, 39.5, 42, 45.5] cm
E: Body length: 16.5[17.5, 17.5, 18, 18, 18.5, 18.5] inches / 42[44.5, 44.5, 45.5, 45.5, 47, 47] cm
F: Yoke length: 9.5[10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, 12, 12.5] inches / 24[25.5, 26.5, 28, 29, 30.5, 32] cm
G: Sleeve length: 18 inches/45.5 cm

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Pam Sluter lives in Rhode Island with her family and pets. In addition to knitting, she enjoys sewing, hiking, county fairs and avoiding housework.

She can be found on Instagram and Ravelry.

Pattern & images © 2016 Pam Sluter. Contact Pam